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It's a split decision.
YepAPI is a usage-billed API for SEO, scraping, social and commerce data, plus 285 AI models. Zenserp is a focused SERP API with a 50-search monthly free tier and paid plans starting at $49.99 per month. We’d pick YepAPI when one key and per-call pricing fit a broader data workflow. Choose Zenserp when predictable monthly search volumes, multiple search engines and SERP-specific features matter more than endpoint breadth.
01Side by side
| YepAPI | Zenserp | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Per-call metering; no subscription or monthly minimum | Monthly search subscriptions |
| Free tier | $5 signup credit; no subscription free plan | 50 Google searches monthly at no charge |
| API coverage | SEO, scraping, social, commerce, and AI endpoints | SERP endpoints for Google and other engines |
| Docs and agent tooling | Docs, llms.txt, MCP server, agent skills | Docs, examples, playground, request builder |
| Integrations | Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, MCP | No third-party integrations named |
| Deployment model | Hosted API; vendor-managed | Hosted API; vendor-managed |
| Platforms | Web | Web |
| Limits and scaling | No rate limits; failed calls uncharged | 400 concurrent connections advised; monthly search quotas |
YepAPI Choose YepAPI if
- Choose YepAPI if one API key should cover SEO, scraping, social and AI.
- Choose YepAPI if per-call billing suits variable workloads.
- Choose YepAPI if you want agent tooling for Claude Code, Cursor or Codex.
Zenserp Choose Zenserp if
- Choose Zenserp if you need a free 50-search monthly tier.
- Choose Zenserp if SERP data across Google, Bing, Yandex and DuckDuckGo is the focus.
- Choose Zenserp if monthly search quotas and a request builder fit your workflow.
02Pricing at real usage
YepAPI charges by API call or other metered usage, with no subscription or monthly minimum. The pricing page lists Google SERP from $0.01 per call; the homepage shows web scraping at $0.01 per call and some other endpoints at different prices. Signup includes $5 in credit, but there is no subscription free plan. Failed calls are not charged.
Zenserp has a free plan with 50 searches per month. Its Small plan includes 25,000 searches monthly for $49.99 per month, or $39.99 per month with annual billing. Higher monthly plans cover 100,000 searches for $149.99, 250,000 for $299.99, 500,000 for $499.99 and 1,000,000 for $899. AI Overview requests use three searches each. YepAPI’s bill follows endpoint use; Zenserp’s follows plan quotas and search volume.
03API, SDKs and integration
YepAPI exposes POST endpoints that accept JSON and return JSON under one API key. Its catalog spans SEO and SERP data, scraping, social and e-commerce data, and AI models. The docs include endpoint examples, and the homepage points developers to llms.txt, an MCP server and agent skills. It names Claude Code, Cursor and Codex as agent integrations. The vendor does not name language-specific SDKs.
Zenserp provides a real-time SERP API that returns JSON. Its homepage says developers can retrieve data with an HTTP client from any programming language. The site offers documentation and examples, a playground and a request builder that generates code snippets from configured requests. It does not name language-specific SDKs or third-party integrations. Both products are web services rather than libraries to embed; choose based on whether your code needs YepAPI’s broader endpoint catalog or Zenserp’s SERP-focused request and response model.
04Open source, self-hosting and lock-in
Neither vendor publishes an open-source licence, a self-hosted deployment option or a separate data-export path. Both are hosted APIs, so your application depends on the vendor’s availability, endpoint behavior and account access. Plan to store the responses your application needs in systems you control rather than treating either service as your data archive.
YepAPI uses one key across its endpoint catalog, which can simplify credential handling but ties integrations to its API and model catalog. Zenserp has a narrower SERP focus, so migration effort is more likely to center on replacing request parameters and adapting response parsing. Both return JSON, which gives your code a structured format to persist, but JSON alone does not guarantee compatibility between vendors. Ask each vendor about retention, export and migration support before making either API a system of record.
Questions people ask
Which is cheaper, YepAPI or Zenserp?
It depends on request volume and endpoint mix. YepAPI bills per call, with Google SERP listed from $0.01 per call and a $5 signup credit. Zenserp includes 50 searches monthly for free, then lists its Small plan at $49.99 per month for 25,000 searches. Compare your expected request types and counts before choosing.
Does YepAPI replace Zenserp?
YepAPI offers Google results alongside SEO, scraping, social, commerce and AI endpoints, so it can cover some SERP workflows within a wider API. Zenserp focuses on SERP data and lists Google, Bing, Yandex and DuckDuckGo. Check the exact result types and request parameters your application needs before switching.
Does YepAPI or Zenserp have a free tier?
YepAPI offers $5 in signup credit, but its pricing is pay-per-use rather than a subscription free plan. Zenserp lists a free plan with 50 searches per month, including Google Search and all SERP types. The two offers differ: one is usage credit, the other a recurring monthly search allowance.
Can I self-host YepAPI or Zenserp?
Neither vendor publishes a self-hosted deployment option or an open-source licence. Both are presented as hosted APIs. If you need portability, persist the JSON responses your application relies on and confirm retention, export and migration arrangements with the vendor before building a dependency into production.